I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally a text editing system in which a central station communicates video information to a plurality of remote work stations having CRT monitors for displaying the video signal, and more particularly, to a novel system for communicating a plurality of diverse information between the central and a remote station across a single communications pathway.
II. Description of the Prior Art
There are many previously known systems, such as text editing systems, in which a central processer communicates with a plurality of remote stations. In such systems, the remote station typically includes a CRT monitor for displaying a video signal received from the central station, a keyboard for entering command signals to the central station, and may further include error indicators and the like.
Previously it has been the practice to run an electrical line between the central and remote stations for each different type of signal communicated between the stations. Consequently, the video signal, the vertical and horizontal synchronization signals, the keyboard information, and the like each would require at least one, if not several, separate electrical lines between the central and remote stations. As the complexity of the information transferred between the central and remote stations has increased, with the previously known systems it has been necessary to run a multicore electrical cable between the central and remote station which has proven particularly disadvantageous when the remote station is positioned far from the central station.
Another disadvantage of the previously known systems, is that as the complexity of the information transferred between the central and remote stations has increased, the cost, size, and complexity of the remote stations have likewise increased. Consequently, maintenance costs for the remote stations in addition to the necessity of heavy duty power lines and the like have rendered the cost of the remote stations nearly prohibitive.